Inspired to Pray More

God is doing something in my prayer life, something deep within me.

Have you ever felt that way?

I was at Bible study and we were talking about prayer. We were talking about our personal prayer life.

I was asked to share about my prayer life journey. Now, prayer is an area that I can’t say I am very strong in. I pray each day but it isn’t the “get down on your face before God and seek Him with all your heart” kind of praying. I can excuse that by saying how busy I am or I have little ones to look after, but I am now more inspired to try and get there in my relationship with God.

I was last to share my story. I couldn’t even speak. The ladies who shared before me were farther along in this prayer journey than I am. They knew about prayer and had seen God do miraculous things in their personal prayer life.

I have seen God move. I know he answers prayer and I have even recently seen God immediately meet one of our needs from a prayer I prayed. But, have I prayed for something for so long, been so persistent in prayer, memorizing scripture, getting down on my knees in a desperate prayer to know Him or see Him answer my heart’s cry?

Again, I am inspired to get there.

When I could speak, I shared a story about my grandparents. I have godly grandparents on both sides. I know that each one prays for me everyday. I remember being in Canada, at my meme and pepe’s house (french term for grandma and grandpa), and sitting at the breakfast table for a very long time, waiting patiently as my grandparents prayed for every name in our extremely large family. They prayed for those who aren’t saved, they prayed for sickness, financial struggles, hardships at school… they covered it all, big and small.

As a child, that was hard to sit through. But, it is what I remember about my summer trips to Canada. I know, that even as I sit here now typing my blog on this Saturday morning, my meme and pepe are faithfully praying for me, my family, our ministry, health and well-being. They are interceding for me over their Bibles at breakfast. I am humbled to tears by that.

I am inspired to get there in my prayer life.

This morning, I sat down with my coffee and my Bible. My girls are drinking chocolate milk in their sippys and watching Little Bear while I search God’s word for scriptures about prayer.

I recently heard the song, “If My People Pray” so that scripture was already on my heart.

It is found in 2 Chronicles 7. The chapter starts with a picture of Solomon and the people praying to God. “When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, “He is good; his love endures forever.”

That is the picture of a prayer life that I am inspired by today.

The second half of the chapter is where the Lord appears to Solomon and talks to him about the spiritual state of the people and how they should pray.

“…if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Humble themselves – we must recognize our failures and mistakes, show true sorrow over sin, recognize our need for God

Pray – desperately call on God, prayer must be sincere and sustained

Seek my face – desperately desire and passionately pursue the presence of God and a greater commitment to Him

Turn from their wicked ways – confess and forsake specific sins, turn from anything that has taken priority over God, depending on God and not the things of this world to meet our needs

It is the second half of the verse that holds the promise. If we choose to do these things then He will hear us when we pray, he will forgive us from the things in our lives that are not pleasing to Him and he will bring healing. It says heal their land – imagine “land” as health, relationships, finances, hurts… God will bring healing to these areas in our lives.

Psalms 34:4 says, “I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.”

2 Chronicles 15:2 says, “If you seek him, he will be found by you”.

I love that because I know that when I seek the Lord, He will be found and He will answer. I blogged a few weeks ago about how He longs for relationship with us. Prayer is part of that relationship.

And, I am inspired to go there in my relationship with Him. I want to pray in a way that shows my dependence on Him and my passionate pursuit of who He is.

Seeking the Lord brings peace. Peace does not necessarily mean absence of conflict. But, when we pray and seek His face like God wants us to, we will experience forgiveness, a clear conscience and a knowing that we are in right relationship with God.

We will be able to stand firm and prevail against sin and the temptation to walk back down a road that leads away from our God who loves us. God’s peace gives us strength to grow stronger in our relationship with Him. We will find healing in His presence when we seek Him with all our hearts. And, I am inspired to get there in my prayer life.

*verse thoughts taken from firebible notes on 2 Chronicles 7 – check out what the notes in your Bible have to say!

How are you inspired to pray? Do you want to grow in your prayer life?

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LOVE YOUR PHOTO COMPOSITION! AND THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD WORD FROM MANY SCRIPTURE REFERENCES.
MY PRAYER LIFE, WHISPERED THROUGHOUT WAKING HOURS WITHOUT PREAMBLE OR FORMALITY SUSTAINS LIVING, LIKE BREATH.

As an intercessor and prayer leader at my house of prayer, I can so often take prayer for granted. I know how to “do” prayer, but living a lifestyle of prayer is a whole other story. I desire to come to that place, where I kneel before God, desperate, knowing that He is the only One who can provide the answer. So thankful you linked up these beautiful words of wisdom at The Weekend Brew!

I truly desire more of a praying life so I’m so glad I linked up next to you at Barbie’s place today because I really needed this encouragement. You shared so much to simply sit and reflect on. THANK YOU. Many Easter blessings to you. I’m grateful to have connected with you in this beautiful blogging world. 🙂

When Brian was a baby I remember how desperate I was to kneel before God and pray. I needed God so badly in my life, having my first child, my mother had been so sick at that time and I didn’t feel like I could go to her with trivial things. I needed someone who could change things, make things better, someone who could fill me with wisdom and help in everday situations. One day I decided to go into Brians room, he was just old enough to walk around. It was spring and I remember that I opened a window,the most beautiful breeze was flowing through the room. I knealt down at the rocker I usually put Brian to sleep in and prayed my heart out. I gave God everything that day!! All of sudden I looked up and Brian had found some little pebbles in the window. He was sticking them in his mouth. The enemy came in as soon as he could to tell me…”see, you can’t pray like that your child’s going to choke to death just because your selfesh” God quickly came to my rescue and reminded me that “no harm came to Brian, and that the Holy Spirit allowed me to look up and see him just at the right time”. He also told me “if I would be faithful in prayer he would care for my kids,that I would not have to worry about them, He would let me know if they need my attention” He has been faithful for many years, and He’s always kept his word. I’m so glad you are encouraging your friends this way Jenilee, there is no greater feeling than giving God every worry, every concern, every joy. To share every journey with him at your side. There is so much we have no control over. I know taking every thought to God in prayer changes situations. If you need financial help, help in your marriage, help with your firends, help with your neighbors, only God can really cause anything out of the ordinary to occur. He’s the only one that can change a heart,change a situation, make things better, fill us with true joy and satisfaction. I believe in prayer!!

Wow that was packed full of wonderful Godly wisdom for our lives….. I too am overwhelmed by the awesomeness of our God. What a hope and promise we have through his word. I love the Lord and am encouraged to pray and reach for new heights in my prayer life…..